Dr. Blane Baker, professor of physics at William Jewell College, will present the 2007 Carl F. Willard Distinguished Teacher Lecture at 7:30 p.m. November 13 in Room 221 of the Yates-Gill College Union on the William Jewell College campus in Liberty, Mo. The lecture is free and the public is invited to attend.

Dr. Baker’s presentation is entitled “From Principles to Action: An Approach to Teaching Physics in the Liberal Arts Setting.”

“In my view, the aim of teaching is to promote the betterment of humanity,” Dr. Baker said. “My work as a teacher and scholar in physics contributes to this betterment by developing methods of teaching, by adding to the body of scientific knowledge, and by applying knowledge in service to others. The primary focus of my talk will be to show examples of each of these aspects of my work with students at William Jewell College and scientific colleagues from around the world. With regard to service to others, I will discuss two efforts—a community development project on Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota and a water purification project in Honduras.”

Dr. Baker received his B.A. from William Jewell College and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Washington University. He joined the Jewell faculty in 1999 and was named the Wallace Hilton Professor of Physics in 2006.

The Willard Lecture is named for the late Carl Willard, a trustee at William Jewell from 1967 to 1991. To honor Willard’s memory and perpetuate his ideals, friends established the Carl F. Willard Distinguished Teacher Award at William Jewell as a continuing investment in tomorrow’s leaders. The Faculty Development Committee recommends honorees for the award to the President and Dean, and the recipient is announced at the Annual Faculty Dinner in May.